NEED AND VALUE OF ATTRACTING BIRDS 11 



hood to produce any fruit. It should be noted 

 that the exception was the nearest orchard to the 

 one on which the experiment was tried. 



Mr. Mann, a pear-grower of Rochester, New 

 York, reports that one year the tree psylla had 

 destroyed his entire crop, and that he thought 

 there were no prospects of a crop the following 

 year ; but nuthatches came and worked in flocks 

 in his orchard all winter, and in the spring he 

 could find hardly an insect. Thus these nut- 

 hatches saved him thousands of dollars in one 

 winter. 



Such facts as these are worthy of the careful 

 consideration of every fruit-grower and farmer. 



Problems of Bird Life 



The chief problems in the bird's life have to 

 do with the securing of food and water, the rear- 

 ing of the young, and protection at all times 

 from the dangers to which they are exposed. Ef- 

 fective means of attracting birds must take all 

 these problems into account. The food-require- 

 ment may be partly met by feeding birds in win- 

 ter and planting shrubs and trees which provide 

 fruit. The demand for water may be met by 

 providing fountains which may serve for bathing 

 as well as drinking purposes. The problem of 

 rearing young may be solved by furnishing nest- 



